From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
They come swift and greedy, scavengers and opportunists. Hotaru can understand their way of life, could perhaps even relate, but Ru had never made this particular mistake: not checking your surroundings. Call it animal brain, hunger, luck or skill on their part, the Valkyrie doesn’t particularly care. They show themselves, and so they shall die.
But Ru doesn’t want to waste her energy unnecessarily. Calling on the birds in the area once more, she commands them to descend in droves once the arrows have flown, preferring numbers over accuracy. Inspiring them to peck, slash, and pin the rats that have emerged. A safer alternative given the conductive dangers of her lightning, regardless of her impeccable control.
- - -
Ru compels the birds in the area to attack the rats after the arrows have flown.
be gentle my little thunderstorm the world is just not ready
Table Code by Sky!
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
The rats appear in droves and Cordelia feels that familiar swoop in her belly at the sight of prey. Her bowstring releases with a thwip and the first arrow shoots with deadly accuracy. Another arrow follows quickly into the closest rat. She waits for the satisfying sink of her arrow into its side before getting another arrow strung onto her string. Glancing towards the others, the Shrike waits for them to release their own attacks, frowning slightly when nothing comes from Ru's hiding spot, but the arrival of he birds surely must be her doing. Cordelia doubts that the Valkyrie wouldn't attack at all.
Cordelia shoots the rats!
'Cause darling, it was good // Never looking down And right there where we stood // Was holy ground
Hastening amongst themselves, hissing and assaulting at their own brethren, the rats wouldn’t ever see the sieges coming. One by one, each monster hunter in turn unfurled their might and potency.
Noah’s arrows rained down upon two in quick succession, sticking into their hide, causing them to squeal and wheel around at each other.
Ru’s birds descended in quick fashion, gore crows immensely talented at finding prey, launching and leaping upon two more.
Cordelia was no slouch either, ending one’s miserable few moments in a rapid volley.
Leaving Deimos’ dark, intertwining life drain magic to ensure two more of the marred, wounded cretins were felled.
And with three gone, the others had multitudes to face. Would they linger? Scatter? Meander off into the brush and bog? Or flicker and decimate away, succumb to their injuries elsewhere? Their lacerations and wounds were callous and porous, bleeding heavily – and they could only begin to race off, though not at a quick pace. “Finish them,” registered in a low rumble from the Sword, for the hunt was nearly done.
--
Everyone has had a successful round, and due to attacks, three of the five rats have been killed! There are two left, but they’re trying to escape! What will you do?
you're all bronze and bite all venom and fistfight
The hunt was going swimmingly at this point. Each of the four of them were seasoned hunters, no strangers to death and destruction and bringing their prey to the end of their life. Arrows flew and rats screamed and scattered. Noah acted quickly on Deimos’ final command. The hunter slung his bow over his shoulders and at the same time sprinted towards the attempted escapers. They would not be leaving if he had anything to do with it.
Once he believed he was in range, he ignited his magic. A celestial dome burst out with Noah as the epicenter. Gold hues glittered and covered the area of dense forest around him, all of it intended to cause an end to the rats and healing to any of his comrades should they be close enough.
—
Noah runs towards the escapees and uses his divine intervention magic to try and finish off the rats.
feel defiance burning through my teeth it's not enough to drag this blade across the day
Success is a burn in her blood, and as she crouches leisurely on her heels, watching bedlam and terror reign down on the beasts, the Valkyrie smiles with satisfaction. They fell a great many in their first wave, and few remain in the wake of their coordinated attacks. Deimos’ command rings heavy, and though Noah pounces first, Ru ensures if he is to fail or falter in any way, backup is supplied.
Standing leisurely, she commands the birds away, not wanting them to risk being near the Sentinel and getting caught in his blast. Instead she aims a sizzling bolt of concentrated lightning, mastery coming to the fore so she might avoid Noah entirely, hoping to take out one or more if Noah did not succeed.
- - -
Ru dispels her birds and aims her lightning at the rats in case Noah’s attack fails, careful to avoid him.
be gentle my little thunderstorm the world is just not ready
Table Code by Sky!
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
It was always satisfying to work so well with a group. The four of them acting in unison to fell the rats that had made the poor decision to exist in this place. Noah's arrow strikes true, the birds tear and shred, and Deimos doesn't hesitate to reign his own terror onto them. The Shrike draws another arrow from her quiver, lining up a shot on those that remain and releasing it with something of a snarl caught in behind her teeth. The urge to run in and tear them to bits with the teeth of her fox flares through her in a surge.
As soon as the first arrow is loosed a second one quickly follows, intending to end this once and for all with the help of the others.
Cordelia fires off two more arrows!
'Cause darling, it was good // Never looking down And right there where we stood // Was holy ground
Quick and rapid, the assaults charged and seared forward, chasing quickly after the evading swamp rats. Fortune and precision would linger with Deimos and Noah, and unfortunately, not with Hotaru and Cordelia.
The Sentinel’s celestial dome burst in a wondrous display of power and light, a signal, a call, and as the rats turned, lured, and enamored, perhaps, the cacophony seared and scorched. Deimos followed suit with a rapaciously lined life drain, ensuring anything remaining was finished off.
A cataclysm of Ru’s invention would’ve been wondrous – had…the lightning not snagged and struck the birds instead (leaving many feathers and perhaps the case for a grimace). Cordelia’s arrows rallied behind her, but not so much in the art of direction, snagging elsewhere, either by the wind or something else altogether.
But with the end noticeable, it scarcely mattered. “Well done,” emerged from the rumbling tones of the guildmaster, inspecting the one closest to him with a nudge of his boot. “We can take these home.” Skin them, use their poisonous properties…Halovians always found methods and never let anything go to waste.
And with that, another successful hunt had been completed.
--
Well done everyone! Thank you for helping the guild!
{FIN}
you're all bronze and bite all venom and fistfight
